and senator edward kennedy, the longest-serving senator at his death in the united states senate. the story of joseph kennedy is the story of the man who spent his life moving back and forth from outsider to insider and back into outsider insider. story of an irish catholic who is not ashamed of his irish heritage, but refused to be defined by it. he was a third generation immigrant. his parents had been born in the united states. his grand parents had come here when they were young people. joseph kennedy cared little about the countries whose grandparents had been born in. he had no desire to visit ireland or read about it. he was 100% american. and he couldn't quite understand why anyone would think of him as less than 100% american. his anger was the catholic church growing up. being irish catholic in boston, he needed an anchor. he was born in east boston is kind of local royalty. everyone knew his mother's family and his father's family and his father was a well-known prominent awesome politician and very well respected businessman. joseph kennedy went to boston. he went out